What Are Electrolytes?
This term gets thrown around a lot and to be honest I don’t think many people understand what they are or what they do. Electrolytes are Electric in nature, they really are! They are compounds that produce ions (which can have a positive or negative charge) and this is why the term Electrolytes is associated with these compounds!
When it comes to Wellness and Nutrition, these Electrolytes are in relation to Minerals that dissolve in the body’s fluids and create electrically charged ions. In particular the 7 most important that people reference are-Magnesium, sodium, potassium, calcium, Chloride, Bicarbonate, and phosphate. These lovely little Minerals have many jobs in our body, but two of the main jobs are ;
1-Regulating the flow of water in and out of cells
2-sparking nerve impulses.
Now this all sounds wonderful I am sure, but you are probably wondering,….what does this really mean…well let me tell you!
Without electrolytes, our cells would literally either die or combust from being to full! It also is important to acknowledge the nerve impulses. Think of your body and where you need nerve impulses….What comes to mind? Our Heart beat, lungs breathing in and out, our brains gather information to allow us to function..to name a few. Many people may also relate to Muscle cramping and muscle weakness..in most cases this can be related again to lack of Electrolytes as you need them for Muscle Contraction.
Hopefully this is all starting to make sense now! So what am I saying? Run out and buy Gatorade or a sports drink?? umm..NO! these drinks are full of sugar and chemicals and defeat the purpose of replenishing your body after a work out, illness or everyday life.
What I do suggest however; are a couple of things!
1-Unsulphured Blackstrap Molasses-(why unsulphured?—sulphured molasses has sulphur dioxide added to it while unsulphured molasses is made from matured cane plants that has been allowed to ripen naturally.
Although the majority of calories comes from a natural form of sugar, it is extremely high in Mineral content and the occasional benefit from a few Vitamins. Keep in mind you are not eating this like a treat, but rather using it as fuel with just a tablespoon.
Here is a quick break down.
Minerals
Amounts Per Selected Serving
%DV
Calcium 118mg—12%
Iron 2mg—13%
Magnesium 29.4mg—7%
Phosphorus 5.5mg—1%
Potassium 341mg—10%
Sodium 7.5mg—under 1%
Zinc 0.1—mg 1%
Copper 0.3mg—14%
Manganese 0.4mg—18%
Selenium 2.4mcg—3%
Fluoride —under 1%
This is jam packed for 1 Tablespoon!
Side Note—Those looking for a sports energy Gel pack not full of sugar and ingredients you can’t pronounce, Check out MUIR ENERGY Gel packs. These puppies are vegan, organic, gluten free, paleo and non-gmo. They have a base of blackstrap molasses, with nut butters /or fruit like raspberry. Some of Yerba Mate Extract others do not. They have a great balance of electrolytes with enough carbs to fuel you through your race without crashing.
2- Coconut Water- Now Coconut water actually has mixed reviews for electrolyte refuelling. It does have lots of great benefits and could definitely be used alternatively with water throughout a hot day to refuel. However, you need to watch a couple of things with coconut water.
1-it isn’t great for athlete’s performing longer distance sports events as it does not have enough sodium and is typically on the lower end of carbs but has high potassium numbers. This can actually lead to issues so water may be another choice. Or at the very least mix it up.
2-You also need to watch out for drinking to much Coconut water as it is a natural diuretic which could lead to opposite issues.
This all being said, I personally think Coconut water is a great choice, however; don’t over do it or rely on it all the time.
3- Water with lemon- I know! Seems silly right. We have our head thinking that things need to be complicated to be replenishing. Water naturally contains sodium (if your doesn’t for some reason, you can add a small pinch) and with Lemon which naturally contains potassium, Magnesium, Sodium and Calcium, you have your own electrolyte drink! Now this drink is not jam packed like some of the others mentioned above, but it literally has zero sugar, no additives and something you can drink throughout the day without any adverse affects. This will help maintain your electrolytes throughout the day.
There are also lots of foods that contain more then adequate amounts of balanced electrolytes and if it is appropriate for the situation, you can always dig into them!
-Greens, winter squash, sweet potatoes, dates, raisins, coconut, avocado, banana’s, mushrooms, grapefruit, watermelon, pomegranates, oranges (although it doesn’t contain sodium), cucumber, cherries, beets, celery, mangos, homemade broth, Coconut yogurt (especially fermented/cultured), and fermented foods like pickles/sauerkraut.
This list is not exhaustive of course but is a good reminder to eat and drink well rounded throughout your days!